http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=user%3aYoungCalifornian&o=DateDescendingSearch results for 'user:YoungCalifornian'en-USXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatIsTheDeference/glzzh/post.htm#556715Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:30:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556715youngcalifornianShe went to Cambridge. Went is the past tense of go . If you "go to" a school, it usually means you attend there as a student. She has been to Cambridge. Been is the past participle of be . The sentence literally means that at some point in the past she was at Cambridge, but not necessarilly that she was enrolled as a student. The usage of the past participle as opposed to the preterite also implies that there is a meaning or reason she was there that is relevant to the present. She was in Cambridge . Was is the past tense of be . It simply means that she was there is the past. Also, the use of the preposition "in" means that she was in the town of Cambridge. If you mean the univerisity, use the preposition...http://www.englishforums.com/English/EarliestICanDoIt/glzvq/post.htm#556704Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:32:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556704youngcalifornianThe sentence sounds awkward. "It" is required, but "now" is not. If you're trying to convey that starting at this moment (as in you just found out) you cannot do it before 9:30 it would be better to say, "9:30 is now the earliest I can do it."http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsIntervention/8/gwqpd/Post.htm#556695Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:58:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556695youngcalifornianThanks for the definition. Whatever you mean by "compare", I haven't really done that. I have just mentioned a few points that are important from a tourist's point of view. You used your perception of the relative safety of a foreign tourist visiting the former Soviet Union to contrast your perception of the relative safetly of a foreign tourist visiting the present-day United States. You specifically stated, "For a tourist, the USA is more dangerous than the Soviet Union used to be." That's a direct comparison. The issue you decided to highlight was human rights in the United States, and (in dramatic fashion) you chose the Soviet Union to highlight perceived differences. Therefore, my usage of the term...http://www.englishforums.com/English/NoteTaker/glvpp/post.htm#556679Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:00:35 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556679youngcalifornianHe came to Metropolis U. to take a finance course and he was sitting by a fountain all denim ( wearing jeans? ) and flannel eating an apple. You pretty much have it. Denim and flannel are obviously two kinds of fabric, and the reasonable assumption would be that the combination he wore took the form of a flannel shirt and denim pants (i.e. jeans). He didn't know that I was the note-taker for the class . ( she supplied the class with her notes because no one took notes? ) It doesn't mean that no one else took notes, only that she always did because it was her job. The point is that she asked to see his notes as an excuse to talk to him, not because she really needed them.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SuggestNotDoVerbPattern/glvhg/post.htm#556675Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:50:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556675youngcalifornianBut suggest also means bring to mind , and this is the meaning in your example sentences, so the grammatical structures for 'advisory' suggest don't apply. Issues of availability cannot give advice! So all you need is a that clause or a noun -- without any of those subjunctives! Of course! I think I got lost in my own babbling and couldn't shift paradigms for those last three examples even though I knew they sounded awkward. Also, it was late at night for me...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Corrections8/glvnw/post.htm#556672Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:39:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556672youngcalifornian(a) The patients are waiting for seeing the doctor. The patients are waiting to see the doctor. The second sentence is correct. (b) It is cheap to travel by bus. This sentence is correct. (c) Tourist often buy souvenirs to take back home. Change "Tourist" to "Tourist s ." (d) Deserts are covered by / with sand. Either is correct. Using "by" emphasizes the act of covering the desert (and implies a source or cause of that act), while using "with" emphasizes the sand itself. e) He is admitted to hospital due to / because of (a) high fever. Either "due to" or "because of" is acceptable. The indefinite article ("a") is not required here, but it sounds best if it is used....http://www.englishforums.com/English/Corrections7/glvnh/post.htm#556670Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:22:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556670youngcalifornian(a) A librarian works in / at the library. / A librarian is in charge of a library. All three are correct, but have slightly different meanings. Also, the switch between indefinite and definite articles in your first two examples sounds odd. (b) A grasshopper looks / looks like a praying mantis. I don't understand the distinction you're trying to draw here. A grasshopper looks like a praying mantis is correct. (c) A boy is climbing / climbing up the ladder. Again, I don't understand the distinction you're trying to draw here. A boy is climbing up the ladder is correct. (d) The water lily plants / water lily float on the pond. The water lily plants are floating in the pond. The first example is correct as it is,...http://www.englishforums.com/English/SuggestNotDoVerbPattern/glvhg/post.htm#556510Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:47:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556510youngcalifornianNo problem, I assumed that's what you meant since demonstrative pronouns are the only things that would have made sense in all but your last example. Still, just in case...http://www.englishforums.com/English/SuggestNotDoVerbPattern/glvhg/post.htm#556508Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:33:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556508youngcalifornianBut I'm stuck with a sentence where "to do" is replaced by "not to do": a1) I suggest not doing X. (I reckon this is fine) a2) I suggest not to do X. (???) b1) I suggest Y shouldn't do X. (I reckon this is fine) b2) I suggest Y X. (this sounds terribly bad!) Your questions stem from the use of the mandative subjunctive, which arises in turn from the use of the verb "to suggest." However, you've complicated things by using the complicated predicate "to do X" in your sentences' subordinate clauses. I'm assuming that "Y" always represents a personal pronoun (or proper noun), but "X" could be either a demonstrative...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheThiefInTheTemple/gldwx/post.htm#556453Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:41:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556453youngcalifornian"The thief in the temple" seems to merely be a poetic metaphor and not an idiom. I'm not sure if the temple that is referenced is part of that metaphor or a literal structure (the diary belonged to a priest after all). Regardless, the usage of "thief" is probably a reflection of the flower figuratively robbing people of their lives. The ultimate point is simply that the flower is the source of the contagion.http://www.englishforums.com/English/FullAndBye/glvgz/post.htm#556442Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:50:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556442youngcalifornianBased on what I've read, "full and bye" is an old nautical expression meaning that a ship is both sailing close to the wind and has full sails.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Who/glvvq/post.htm#556439Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:33:39 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556439youngcalifornianIs the following sentence correct? Akira passed the ball to Ken, who scored a goal. Yes, the sentence is correct. i think the correct sentence is Akira passed the ball to Ken then Scored a Goal. From your following sentence meant...Akira as a Subject and made a goal not Ken Am i Right ??? "Akira passed the ball to Ken, then scored a goal," is a correct sentence, but it has a different meaning than the sentence presented by Filha Da Pika. Ken is the person who scored the goal in the original sentence. In the sentence Buddhist-Accountant has presented, Akira is the person who scored the goal. Despite being grammatically correct, it would not make logical sense for Akira to have scored the goal since the sequence of the clauses...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Second/glvdn/post.htm#556399Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:09:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556399youngcalifornianThink of which article ("the" or "a") you would use were the word "second" omitted in each case. The articles in these examples do not refer to the word "second", but rather to the nouns they are modifying. The speakers are essentially referring to "the floor" and "a bite". In both cases "second" is an adjective, and articles never refer to adjectives.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsIntervention/8/gwqpd/Post.htm#556393Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:37:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:556393youngcalifornianBecause no one taken to Guantanamo has any rights - and anyone the US authorities suspect of "terrorism" can be taken there - I wouldn't dare to set foot on US soil at the moment. For a tourist, the USA is more dangerous than the Soviet Union used to be. In that country only its own citizens needed to fear being taken to prison camps. Stalin had at least 15 million Soviets executed and times were bad for the locals even after him. However, a tourist had nothing to fear in the USSR. There wasn't even the slightest chance that a foreigner could be arrested on any false charges - let alone without charges. Going to the USSR involved a lot of red tape but the country had absolutely no prisons where foreigners were kept for...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AgainALittleHelp/glrjv/post.htm#555331Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:27:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555331youngcalifornianYour first guess pretty much correct. Another way to say it would be "You tell me how a man can work and not put one foot wrong his whole life...".http://www.englishforums.com/English/YetAlready/glrjb/post.htm#555327Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:35:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555327youngcalifornianYes, although the first would more likely be used to express disappointment or frustration at the person not having read the book.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TrickyS/glrwn/post.htm#555325Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:31:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555325youngcalifornian………….The Chicago’s club phone n………….. ………………The Chicago’s club’s phone n……. Neither is correct. It shoud be "The Chicago club's phone number..." assuming that the subject is "Chicago club". The police’ phone n. It should be either "The police's phone number..." or even "The police phone number...". The second option does not illustrate a possesive, but rather changes the entire subject to "police phone number". Because "police's" sounds a little funny, most people would opt for that second example or something like "The phone number of the police...". Nonetheless, "police's" is correct. Despite ending in an "s" sound...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AtTheBeginig/glrcj/post.htm#555307Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:22:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555307youngcalifornianSince I couldn't find you all day, I decided to start my biographical inquiry at the beginning . ( She means the beginnig of it all (him) - his parents, right? ) Yes. Well, of course we had to make up a story , ( think up an excuse not to tell her the truth? ) I can't be sure in without seeing the whole episode, but it would seem that the story Jonathan's referring to is not an excuse not to tell Chloe the truth, but rather the lie itself they told her (and perhaps other people as well).http://www.englishforums.com/English/Cep/glrhj/post.htm#555302Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:12:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555302youngcalifornianMr. Luthor, the C.E.P. (I n a previous episode they mentioned the same abbreviation and it standed for Center for Enviromental Protection but I can't find that meaning of the CEP anywhere. Is there a Center for Enviromental Protection in the US or not? ) There's no real CEP, the closest thing in real life is the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). American television shows and movies often create fake government agencies meant to parallel real ones instead of using the name of the actual agency.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Weirded/glrcg/post.htm#555301Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:06:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555301youngcalifornianJust a little weirded out . Got a little bizarre? In this case it simply means that things are weird (or indeed bizarre). Usually however, the term "weirded out" is used to describe how a person feels after witnessing or experiencing something strange. For instance you might say, "Seeing his mother date a man other than his father weirded out Dave."http://www.englishforums.com/English/LongRoadBetween/glrgq/post.htm#555295Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:59:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555295youngcalifornianLet's just say that it's a very long road between what's sitting in our storm cellar and what's written on your birth certificate. There's a big difference between the two? If I'm correct that whatever is in the cellar is connected to Clark Kent's arrival on Earth, the "very long road" would probably refer to the arduous process the Kents went through to get the necessary legal documents and state recognition that baby Clark would need with as few questions asked about his origins as possible.http://www.englishforums.com/English/GoWide/glrzw/post.htm#555292Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:50:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555292youngcalifornianShe moved. Left no forwarding address . ( new address? ) Yes, that's correct. I'll go wider , ( organize a bigger search party? ) but it could take some time. It'd help me if you tell me what's going on. It doesn't mean that he's necessarily going to organize a bigger search party, but that he's simply going to widen the scope of his investigation. It could be that he's going to search more places by himself.http://www.englishforums.com/English/LateNight/glrgx/post.htm#555291Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:39:12 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:555291youngcalifornianWhat, you have a late night ? Tired from a long night? Yes, to "have a late night" means to stay awake late into the night and usually implies that the subject is therefore tired. I was helping Lana. To her credit , ( as far as she's concerned? ) she's not gonna let the whole body part incident delay the opening of the Talon. No, "to someone's credit" is minor praise. It's often used in an attempt to positively recognize someone in spite of a negative situation. In this case Clark is praising Lana for continuing with "the opening of the Talon" despite whatever trouble was caused by the "body part incident". Son, he casts a very, very long shadow . ( He's dangerous? ) "To...http://www.englishforums.com/English/PutInInto/gkqvr/post.htm#554963Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:42:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554963youngcalifornianEither "First, put a teaspoon of tea in a teapot" or "First, put a teaspoon of tea into a teapot" is correct. "Into" is more specific.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PourAddSomeIceCubes/gkqdp/post.htm#554962Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:39:26 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554962youngcalifornianUsing either "add" or "pour" is acceptable. "Pour" is more specific (which you should consider if you are giving directions to someone), but I think most native speakers would use "add". If you begin the sentence with "add" it would sound best if you use "to" instead of "in" or "into", though neither is incorrect. It should then read, "Add some ice cubes to the lemon tea." If you begin with "pour" do not use "to". Either "in" or "into" is fine. "Into" is more specific, but I think "in" sounds best. I would say, "Pour some ice cubes in the lemon tea."http://www.englishforums.com/English/TakeOneHalfOf/gkqdm/post.htm#554961Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:29:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554961youngcalifornian(a) is incorrect. It should say, "Cut the lemon in half. Take one half of the lemon and slice it." (b) is correct as it is, but I think the corrected version of (a) sounds a little better. If you are giving directions it might also be a good idea to specify the number of slices you want the lemon half cut into. For example, you might say, " Take one half of the lemon and slice it into two pieces." Or you could simple say, "Take one half of the lemon and slice it in half", but that may sound repetitive.http://www.englishforums.com/English/SimpleWayOf/gkqdl/post.htm#554960Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:19:49 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554960youngcalifornianYou can say either "It is a simple way of making delicious iced lemon tea" or "It is a simple way to make delicious iced lemon tea." Similarly, you can say either "It is a simple way of making a glass of iced tea" or "It is a simple way to make a glass of iced tea." In each case the meanings are basically the same.http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsIntervention/6/gwqpd/Post.htm#554945Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:01:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554945youngcalifornianI said in my previous post that the USA has done good things as well. Snuffing out Hitler was one of them. The reason modern countries - democratic and undemocratic - attempt to justify and explain their deeds is very simple: the mass media exist and information can be transmitted. Because this is possible, everybody does it. While there is no question that information can be more widely disseminated now than ever before, it is simplistic to say that mere knowledge of aggressive military actions is or has ever been enough for other states to denounce it, and thus for the aggressor to attempt to justify it. The telephone has existed for over 125 years, and the telegraph for 40 years before that. Word got around. Newspapers from around...http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsIntervention/4/gwqpd/Post.htm#554149Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:03:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:554149youngcalifornianThroughout ages, great powers have tried to increase their sphere of influence. This is simply human nature. It feels great to be great and more powerful than one's neighbours. Thousands of years before the USA even existed, the great powers of those days waged wars on weaker peoples and annexed lands to become bigger still. In the old days there weren't necessarily even any reasons to try to "justify" these aggressive policies because democracy and the mass media hadn't been born and ignorance and slavery were rampant. In an insular world bad news travelled slowly, if at all. And even if the oppressed heard about the bad news, what could they do? Nothing. In theory the USA is a great and just country. Its...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ALittleTestNativeSpeakers/gzjpm/post.htm#529371Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:20:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:529371youngcalifornianFirst off, I have to say that the passage reads very strangely. I think it's mainly a result of using the present tense to describe past events. Anyway... A15 - 3* A16 - 3 A17 - 1 A18 - 4 A19 - 3 A20 - 2 A21 - 2 * This question is worded strangely. I was initially going to go with answer 1, but then realized it would sound as if the father believed himself to be lucky. Honestly, I think the person who came up with test needs to work on their own English skills.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ForgottenTibet/4/zxndx/Post.htm#529341Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:11:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:529341youngcalifornianDo you like the situation when countries deal with matters quietly without witnesses? Do you think that information from these countries prepared by their authorities will be objective? If there aren’t any other sources of information how you want to form your opinion about sb/sth? I'm not sure why you seem bothered by my comment, Dominik. I thought it clear that I was criticizing the lack of freedom of the press that is prevalent in many countries (China and Russia being the two relevant examples). I fully support exposing oneself to news and media from around the globe in an effort to understand varying perspectives. If you feel that I wasn't being sensitive enough to people with limited sources of news, then I apologize....http://www.englishforums.com/English/ForgottenTibet/4/zxndx/Post.htm#529286Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:58:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:529286youngcalifornianI find it humorous that citizens of countries with a state-controlled press are so critical of Western media coverage.http://www.englishforums.com/English/NextAmericanPresident/2/zxvrz/Post.htm#489769Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:10:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:489769youngcalifornianI disagree. Wait the next primary on April 22. If Obama wins, he will probably be the next Democratic nomination. Those states that Obama won, do you think he can win on the election day? Those states that he won are Republicans states. Clinton won all the Dermocratic states. If he can win the big states like Penn, the delegates would side him. Then he would be the next nominee. Judging by all practical scenarios, it is impossible for Hillary to pass Barack Obama in the number of pledged delegates even with a victory in Pennsylvania. She has a slight chance at winning the popular vote, and could use that advantage to convince enough superdelegates to push her over the edge, but chances are slim. If she doesn't win the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/NextAmericanPresident/zxvrz/post.htm#488716Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:04:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:488716youngcalifornianI hope that Barack Obama will be the next president. He's the only presidential candidate that has run for office in my lifetime whom I genuinely admire, although I am a bit of a cynic when it comes to modern politicians. It may seem a rather shallow reason for voting for him, but I love his story and the idealism that his ascendency to the presidency would affirm. I truly believe him to be a man of integrity and think his example (were he to win) would lead many American politicians to reflect on their methods and messages. I wouldn't expect a lot of practical day-to-day changes, but think that his success could inspire a lot of reluctant but well-meaning people to reconsider running for elected office knowing that it is...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoYouThinkOfTheUsa/2/zdjwv/Post.htm#437065Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:18:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:437065youngcalifornianPrez1dent, I hope you aren't taking this Ignaz guy seriously (and on a related note, I hope he isn't serious). The fact that he's citing The Onion as a news source says it all.http://www.englishforums.com/English/FavouriteName/zcrkh/post.htm#429595Thu, 11 Oct 2007 04:32:51 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:429595youngcalifornianElizabethhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/TheSimpsonsMovie/vmxqb/post.htm#398691Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:37:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:398691youngcalifornianAs I said in another thread, I absolutely loved The Simpsons until season 9 (1997-1998). The next few seasons were pretty good, but the series just kept getting worse and worse, and I no longer even bother to watch the new episodes. While the show still has funny moments, the humor became more random and nonsensical (a la Family Guy ), there were less tender moments, and new writers often resorted to gimmicks as they found little new territory to explore with the characters (Patty's a lesbian, Lisa's a Buddhist, et cetera). The show also became a sort of parody of itself as writers retold the same jokes, and tried to establish a continuity that had never before existed. It ceased to be about a funny and lovable family, and more about...http://www.englishforums.com/English/RussianFilms/3/vldgh/Post.htm#391702Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:34:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391702youngcalifornianIt's very good, but keep in mind that it is a silent film made in 1925. The director, Sergei Eisenstein, was famous for his revolutionary ideas on montage, and indeed The Battleship Potemkin is considered a major influence on modern editing techniques. The famous "Odessa Steps sequence" has been referenced in movies as diverse as The Godfather and Brazil .http://www.englishforums.com/English/Chess/vkqcp/post.htm#391524Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:24:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391524youngcalifornianI know how to play chess, but I'm not very good at it. I'm much better at checkers and backgammon.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DoASport/vllgh/post.htm#391523Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:17:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391523youngcalifornianI think it's perfectly normal to say "do a sport". I've often heard the question asked "do you do any sports?" Remember, not every sport is played (i.e. surfing, skating, skiing, rock climbing, et cetera).http://www.englishforums.com/English/RussianFilms/3/vldgh/Post.htm#391521Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:05:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391521youngcalifornianThe only Russian film I've seen is The Battleship Potemkin , which is considered to be one of most important films in cinema history (not coincidentally, I saw it in a film class in college). 3. My big Armenian wedding Is this a Russian rip-off of My Big Fat Greek Wedding ? I find it kind of humorous since ethnically I'm a quarter Armenian, and I know the Armenian and Greek cultures to be similar.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheScarletLetter/vlklk/post.htm#391518Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:55:08 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391518youngcalifornianI too was required to read it in high school.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WangEarnsNinthWin/vlzwg/post.htm#391516Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:44:18 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:391516youngcalifornianIt means that Wang relied more on deceptive pitches (i.e. curveballs, sliders, et cetera) against the batters he faced prior to playing the Angels. Apparently his accuracy improved against that team, which would mean he could make better use of his fastball. Accuracy is very important when throwing fastballs, because if the pitcher doesn't have good control the pitch will likely be either an easy hit or an obvious ball. Thus, in improving his accuracy, Wang was able to utilize his full repertoire of pitches.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheUnitedStatesIncreasinglyStepped-RoleWorldPolice/3/vhrqw/Post.htm#384636Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:28:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:384636youngcalifornianMy dear Young Californian! The US has shown remarkable restarint in exercising its power! Esprcially historically! Espesially in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From that time on I think my description you've quoted is just to the point. Exceptions prove the rule. There's no question that at times the U.S. has used force as a means of imposing its will. I already stated as much. Yet given the full extent of American military and economic might, I stand by my assertion that the United States has shown much restraint in using it. Again, I know the list of questionable foreign policies and outright mistakes and misdeeds by the U.S. is long and bloody, but it's near impossible to be a great power in the world and not make such blunders. ...http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheSimpsons/vjqvn/post.htm#383899Sun, 24 Jun 2007 22:03:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:383899youngcalifornianThe Simpsons is my favorite television show ever. That said, I don't care for the newer episodes. The show was great from about seasons 3-10, and after that it went downhill fast. Many of the original writers and producers left (one, Brad Bird, went on to direct The Iron Giant , The Incredibles , and the upcoming Ratatouille ), and now it's a parody of its former self. I don't expect that the movie will be that great either.http://www.englishforums.com/English/TheUnitedStatesIncreasinglyStepped-RoleWorldPolice/2/vhrqw/Post.htm#383895Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:57:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:383895youngcalifornianThe US acts like an elephant in a crockery shop because they know that they are stong and they think the right of the strong to do whatever they like. The only thing I am afraid of is that one day they may think that they are so strong that may begin another war. The war where there will be no survivors... Without denying that the U.S. has made its share of foreign policy mistakes, or that it uses its economic and military might to impose its will at times, I think your characterization is grossly unfair. I'm biased of course, but I think that historically my country has shown remarkable restraint in exercising its power. Too often the U.S. is made the scapegoat for the rest of the world's problems.http://www.englishforums.com/English/MarkTwain/vhvdz/post.htm#369692Thu, 24 May 2007 08:11:35 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:369692youngcalifornianI enjoy Mark Twain, and have also read The Prince and the Pauper . My favorite of his novels is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .http://www.englishforums.com/English/QuestionAboutUSPoliteness/vhcmw/post.htm#369691Thu, 24 May 2007 08:07:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:369691youngcalifornianLike Mister Micawber said, I think that would be a perfectly fine way of introducing the subject. I would not, however, leave it at that and assume that the person would know you mean to borrow the bicycle. Americans tend to be a bit more direct than that. Most likely they'd expect to hear something like, "Would you mind if I borrowed your bicycle?" or simply, "May I please borrow your bicycle?" if that's what you want to do.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ChristiansMuslimsWorshipSameLord/20/bqcbx/Post.htm#363716Sat, 12 May 2007 02:21:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:363716youngcalifornianJews do not consider Jesus and Muhammad righteous prophets. Do you agree? Yes. Christians take Jesus as the Son of God. Christians view God through Trinity. Jews do not have anything like Trinity. It's against their belief to consider someone as son of God. In Christianity you cannot separate God from Jesus. If you take one element out of Trinity, then it's not Christianity anymore. Then how could you say Christians and Jews worship the same God? I see where you're coming from, Jackson, but I don't quite agree with you. I tend to believe that all three religions worship the same god, but view Him differently (which is essentially the second interpretation of God that I listed in my prior post). That is, they're all...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ChristiansMuslimsWorshipSameLord/19/bqcbx/Post.htm#363587Fri, 11 May 2007 18:49:32 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:363587youngcalifornianI too think it's odd to suggest that Muslims and Jews worship the same god, but that Christians do not. The funny thing is that I have heard and read both Christians and Muslims arguing that they worship a different god than the other, but I've never heard either argue that Jews worship a different god than them. Whatever your beliefs, the fact is that all three religions claim to worship the so-called "God of Abraham". Considering that, it seems to me that a person can reach one of three conclusions: either they do worship the same god, but characterize him differently, or one of the religions worships the correct god, while the other a false god, or they're all wrong.